EPEric's Blog

Okay, yell at me.  A couple of you did in e-mails, though you probably didn't realize I was your target.  Let me take you inside the TV newsroom.  It's a competitive world, and we produce what we call "topicals" to try to get you to watch the FOX8 10:00 News.  I usually write those.  They are the things you see during shows like "American Idol" that tell you what we have coming up on the news that night.  It's a few minutes a day where I take off the journalism hat and turn into salesman.  I write them early in the evening and Neill and Julie tape them after the 6:00 News. 

Here's last night's script.

SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING BACKSTAGE ..

IS THE ROCKET FISHING RODS' CLAIM TO MAKE FISHING FUN FOR YOUNG ANGLERS-- A BIG FISH STORY?

THE NEWS IS NEXT."

When I wrote it, I had no idea Idol would keep all the contestants (believe it or not, Idol producers don't trust us locals with their trade secrets).   I was talking about our FOX reporter we had backstage trying to get interviews with not just the Idols and the judges, but some of the stars who appeared last night, hoping Idol viewers would be interested and watch the news to see it.  To those of you who interpretted by words ( and I can sure see how) as "spoiler," sorry.